The fluorescent light above flickered once before settling into a steady buzz. Detective Reyes slammed the interrogation room door behind her and fixed the man across the table with a hard stare.
Reyes was a stern young woman, she had dark skin and black hair. She took immense pride in her job as an investigator.
Wally sat upright, robe neat, hair tamed — calm but with a tension that made her instincts scream this guy's trouble.
"I'm Detective Reyes," she said, voice low and steady. "You're here because you caused a scene at the bank. You blew up a MetroCard machine, threw cash around like it was confetti, and now you're under arrest."
The man blinked slowly, cool as ice. "I am Whimsical Wally. I took control to stabilize this vessel."
Reyes didn't flinch. "Right. Whimsical Wally. Sounds like a stage name. Where's the guy who actually did all that damage?"
"Dormant. I take over when the magic gets out of control," Wally said, his voice clipped and no-nonsense.
Reyes leaned forward. "Two personalities in one body? That explains the 'wizard' and 'terrorist' acts. You talk to each other?"
A muffled voice, faint but defiant, whispered inside Wally's mind: "I'm not a terrorist, I'm a liberator."
Wally's internal reply was cold: "You're a walking disaster."
Reyes's eyes narrowed. "Well, Mr. Wally, Mr. Mack—whichever one's listening—you're gonna start talking straight, or this is gonna get very uncomfortable."
Wally's gaze stayed steady, unblinking."As you wish, Detective. I will provide the facts clearly and concisely."
Reyes leaned forward. "Good. Tell me what actually happened at the bank. No magic, no cosmic councils—just the facts."
Wally nodded. "Very well. The individual known as Mack attempted to intervene in an armed robbery. His methods involved excessive magical energy, which destabilized the environment and caused collateral damage, including the destruction of a MetroCard machine."
A faint, muffled voice whispered from within the man's mind: "The metal demon tried to eat my nugget."
Wally's internal reply was dry: "Subject exhibits irrational attachment to food items."
Reyes sighed. "Alright, so you stopped the robbers but also wrecked half the place. What about the vault?"
Wally's lips twitched briefly. "Accidental. The subject tripped and engaged the vault's unlocking mechanism. No intentional theft occurred."
The muffled voice cut in again, louder this time: "I was liberating treasure from fiscal tyranny!"
Reyes pinched the bridge of her nose. "Right. Well, let's see if you can stay on point."
She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small mirror—a standard interrogation prop. She slid it across the table.
"Look into this."
Wally's calm expression faltered for a fraction of a second. Then his eyes glazed over. His posture slackened. The clinical composure melted away, replaced by wild, darting eyes.
Mack was back.
"Oi! Who invited the spooky shiny rectangle to the party?" Mack muttered, eyes wide as he stared at the mirror.
Reyes leaned back, smirking. "Welcome back. Now we're getting somewhere."
Mack grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Finally! This dull suit wants the real story."
Reyes crossed her arms, her tone firm but curious. "All right, magician. Let's hear it—no filters."
Mack leaned forward, voice rising with excitement. "It was a quest, a cosmic battle! The robbers were pawns of the dark realm, stealing an artifact crucial to the balance between worlds!"
Reyes raised an eyebrow. "Or just regular crooks with guns?"
Mack's grin faltered. "Of course not! How could that be possible? And what in the name of Merlin is a gun?"
Reyes shook her head, half amused, half frustrated. "Look, Mack, I don't believe in your magic or cosmic battles. I'm here to get facts. And right now, your 'quest' sounds like a mess."
Mack's eyes softened for a moment. "Sometimes the mess is the point."
Reyes exhaled sharply. "Tell you what—no more mirrors for a while. Let's try to keep this conversation between us, okay?"
Mack chuckled. "Deal."
Mack continued to chuckle, which turned into a cackling sound. Detective Reyes began to feel a little nervous.
"What the hell are you laughing at!?" She said, as a bead a sweat dripped down her forehead.
Mack replied, "You forgot to bind my fingers! Levatis Unrelentus!"
Now even though Macks hand and feet were bound to the chair, a powerful force erupted from his fingertips, which started to test the strength of the bonds.
Reyes slammed a fist on the metal table."Cut that out! You're not getting out of here."
Mack's eyes sparkled with delight."Oh, but I am. You see, your security measures are charmingly archaic."
With a sudden burst, the shackles exploded apart, shards of metal clattering to the floor. Mack wrenched free and vaulted from the chair, robe flaring wildly.
"Time to vanish," he said gleefully, darting toward the door.
Reyes lunged to block him. "Not so fast!"
Mack's fingers sparked again. A shimmering purple haze shimmered around him, distorting the air like heatwaves.
Before Reyes could react, he blurred forward—no, disappeared.
Then reappeared behind her, hands on her shoulders.
"Consider this a magical courtesy," he whispered, voice low and playful.
Reyes spun, heart pounding, but Mack was already dashing toward the exit, robe trailing like smoke.
"Get back here!" she yelled, drawing her radio.
Mack vanished down the hallway, laughter echoing behind him as security scrambled to respond.
Inside, Wally's voice murmured faintly in Mack's mind."Control. Focus. We can't afford chaos now."
Mack grinned, already plotting his next move.
Two officers came out of their rooms, and opened fire at Mack.
"Yippie!" Mack shouted as a bullet grazed his ear.
He charged directly into an officer at full speed, knocking him down, but the officer grabbed onto Mack's leg, causing him to be dragged against the floor.
Mack stumbled, dragged roughly across the cold floor, sparks of magical energy flickering at his fingertips.
He growled, twisting to shake free, the officer's grip tightening.
Inside his mind, Wally's voice warned sharply, "You're losing control! Focus!"
Mack snarled back, "I'm fine, you uptight file clerk!"
With a sudden surge, Mack unleashed a burst of magical force, sending both officers sprawling as he scrambled upright, eyes wild with adrenaline and chaos.
He flew toward the exit, grit teeth and ready for whatever came next.
"Yippie!" he shouted again, limping but moving fast.
He darted out the door, adrenaline pumping, the sound of shouting and footsteps chasing him.
It didn't take long for an alleyway to catch his eye. Without hesitation, he slipped through it, using a spell to mask his presence.
The alley reeked of stale air and rusted pipes. Mack leaned against the cold wall, panting, eyes darting for the next move.
His fingers traced patterns in the dust, trying to steady his breathing and his magic.
Inside, Wally's voice whispered sharply: "You're reckless. This isn't a game."
Mack smirked, voice low: "Neither is survival."
After a while, he left the alley and began searching for a place to sleep.